Historical Timeline

California State University San Marcos - and it's predecessor, San Diego State North County, the satellite campus it emerged from - has enjoyed a sustained relationship with the many local American Indian tribes in its service area. The relationships were established through the interest and commitment of a few and have evolved into some formal relationships that involve scores of individuals across all divisions and colleges at the University.

1987

Hosted the first American Indian Storytelling in SDSU North County's one room library, featuring local elders - and drawing hundreds from the local community

Began working with local tribal libraries that were facing closure due to federal grant funds drying up

1988

Hosted second American Indian Storytelling-SDSU North County Library

1989

Hosted third American Indian Storytelling-SDSU North County Library

1990

Hosted the first American Indian Cultural Fair at the SDSU North County "Jerome's" campus

First class of Cal State San Marcos students requested Luiseño word for mountain lion - library faculty member worked with Mark Macarro, tribal librarian at Rincon, to approach elder, Villiana Hyde, to bring the word back to students

Tukwut adopted as informal mascot/spirit word for new university

Associated Students American Indian Scholarship was established and later named in honor of Lee Dixon

Hosted the first annual American Indian Pow Wow at Cal State San Marcos on the new, permanent site on Twin Oaks Valley Road

Hosted the first American Indian Student College Motivation Day, bringing 90 Indian students from local reservations -this event preceded the Pow Wow every year through 1999

Uncle Henry Rodriguez (Luiseño/La Jolla) invited to provide blessing at commencement- and did so at the International Festival and other key events until his death in 2002

Uncle Henry and Jane Dumas (Kumeyaay/Jamul) begin coming to campus annually to address a variety of classes on local Native culture, stories and ethnobotany

1994-2003

Hosted the American Indian Pow Wow for 10 years until funding and staffing fell short

1994

Began hosting local Bird Singers as part of the General Education Humanities section - for a number of years

1995

Library faculty member began working with Pala Tribal Library on expansion plans, federal grant applications and professional assessment

Library faculty member co-authored, with Lakota professor of education, "Sovereignty, Collaboration and Continuing Challenge: A History of Tribal Libraries in San Diego County"-which put local tribal libraries on the national map

Library faculty member started the Tribal Library Intern Project in partnership with CSU Fullerton-a program that places Library School graduate students in local tribal libraries-more than 25 interns have interned in the Rincon, Pala and Pauma tribal libraries since the program commenced

Library faculty member and ITS web designer establish a statewide Native Libraries listserv

Arts & Lectures hosts "Smoke Signals" director, Chris Eyre - event draws a large crowd of local Indian people to the University

Uncle Henry Rodriguez is conferred with an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters at commencement

University Library hosts the first "A Gathering of Voices" conference for tribal librarians and educators from 37 local reservations

First year of the Indian Rock/Native Garden Project, a collaboration between advanced computer art and anthropology students at CSUSM and the San Luis Rey Band of Luiseño Indians - class offered every year

2002

Library faculty member organizes the Tierra Del Sol Tribal Librarians Group (TDSTL), the first of its kind in the state

Campus holds a memorial ceremony for the late Dr. Uncle Henry Rodriguez

2003

University Library hosts the second "A Gathering of Voices" for 37 local reservations

Arts & Lectures hosts Tracy Lee Nelson's Native Blues Band - drawing Indian students and community members to campus

Library faculty member coordinates the inaugural meeting of the Native Libraries Round Table of the California Library Association

University President hosts lunch and discussion with Pala and Pauma tribal officials in his board room

Native Studies minor is established

2004

Library faculty member accompanied two federal officials from IMLS, the principal granting agency for tribal libraries, to Pala and Pauma tribal libraries

Pauma Chairman, Chris Devers, provides a traditional blessing for the opening of the Kellogg Library

Arts & Lectures presents the play based on the life of Katherine Siva Saubel - "We Are Still Here" at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido to a standing room only crowd of over 400 - mostly local Native people - University President delivered the welcome - having been on campus one month

Library hosts The Indian Rock Native Garden Project as the inaugural exhibit for the new library - opened with traditional local blessing, song and dance.

University President hosted a luncheon meeting for the North County American Indian Education Council

Library faculty member escorted University President, Provost and Associate Vice President for Research to visit Pala, Pauma and San Pasqual reservations

Tribal Liaison position is established - first of its kind in the California State University system

Established the Tribal Communities Initiatives Task Force - inviting faculty from across all colleges and disciplines, administrators and staff who were working in or with tribal communities

Held four Task Force meetings - one held on local reservation

Task Force projects launched in this first year include:

Meetings between School of Nursing faculty and staff and the Native American Research Centers for Health staff at Indian Health Council in Rincon

Small group traveled to CSU San Bernardino to talk with organizers of their well regarded California Indian Day

Revived activity on the Lee Dixon Indian Scholarship and got Dixon family connected

Added Community Service Learning Director, College of Business and College of Education faculty to Task Force

Luiseño language transferability explored

Tribal Liaison coordinated CSUSM delegation to "Prez to the Rez" at Pauma

College of Business conducts Senior Experience project working with Tribal Digital Village

Campus began posting faculty positions on the California Indian Professors Association website

Campus appointed a set on CSUSB's Tribal Government, Management & Leadership Advisory Board

Hosted "Tukwut Scholars", a simulated first day of college for 4th grade Indian students

Tribal Liaison honored at annual SCTCA High School Graduation Banquet - for service to Indian community - shines light on CSUSM

Began providing SDSU American Indian Studies personnel with background on Tribal Liaison position

Subcommittee of the Native Advisory Council began researching MOUs between universities and tribes

Employee Management Certificate Program delivered to Pala leadership

Hosted Young Native Scholars on campus, overnight, in dorms

Dixon family honored at annual Scholarship Donor/Recipient reception

Tribal Liaison member escorted the new Director of the San Diego County Library system to six reservations to help build links between the two

Tribal Liaison solicited State Librarian, on behalf of Tribal Digital Village, to renew support for local tribe's eligibility for e-rate

Two local Indian women invited to speak to Women's Studies class

Native Advisory Council is formed based on input from reception held earlier in the year - and only one of two in the California State University system

Held inaugural meeting of the Native Advisory Council with President

President names her home "a$wut pote" - Luiseño for eagle's nest

President Haynes hosted local Native people in her home for the first time in the University's history

2006

Mission statement of the Native Advisory Council is approved:

The California State University San Marcos Native Advisory Council will:

*Advise the President on University relations with Native American communities *Articulate the educational needs of the local California reservations and surrounding Indian communities to the University *Foster collaboration between the University and the Native American community to achieve mutual goals *Promote and support academic and professional access and success of Native American students and employees at Cal State San Marcos

Held 4 Task Force meetings - two on local reservations launching these activities:

President publicly displays Pendleton blanket from Santa Ysabel in Craven Hall foyer - as tribute to the MOU signing

Local Native professor co-presents on tribal community initiatives at the Center for Border & Regional Affairs faculty research seminar

President invited and attended the opening of the Santa Ysabel Casino

Given permission, by the family of Dr. Uncle Henry Rodriguez, to transport his collection of notebooks on Luiseño culture, to the Kellogg Library for safekeeping during a comprehensive digitization project